Page 46 of Sick Little Devotion

I shudder at the dark edge in his voice. “Okay.”

“Any more questions for me? Do you want to know where I lived while away from you?” He throws it out there with a smile, and I shrug.

“Was it closer than I thought?”

“No,” he laughs. “I lived in many places. I traveled to New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and many more. My stake is mostly in the city here, but I get a piece from everywhere.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m Ben Grenado’s heir, sweetheart,” he says the words flatly but almost endearingly. “You’ll see what kind of life I can give you, and I know you won’t turn it down.”

“I don’t care what you can give me,” I admit. “I’ve never been materialistic.”

He frowns at me. “I just want you to be happy.”

“Okay, but… things don’t make me happy.”

“No, you’ve never been that type.” He lets out a light chuckle. “You were always such a sweet girl, Sara. You lived in your head, and you never let anything bring you down.” For a moment, I see the Aiden that I’ve always known once again, right there in his face. It moves me, and my heart clenches in my chest.

“I just need to make sure the girls are okay,” I whisper, hoping to make a case for myself. “That would really make me happy Aiden.”

His face hardens, the old Aiden immediately leaving. “No. I can’t let you leave this place. I told you that I’m taking care of it, and I will. You need to focus on you and us. I don’t want you worrying about that.”

“Just let me make a phone call to Eliza,” I plead, reaching out and placing my hand on his forearm. “Please.”

Aiden’s eyes close, and he takes a deep breath. “I want to let you, Sara, but I can’t right now. I have to figure out the breach, and you need to stay here—and safe. No outgoing phone calls.”

“I don’t even have a phone anymore,” I snap at him, my voice trembling. “You won’t let me feel like I’m here because I want to be. How am I supposed to find my love for you, if I can’t even be given a normal life?” That last part came out thick with emotion, and I know I probably pushed it too far.

However, Aiden barely reacts. “I am doing what’s best for you right now, and you will abide by it, or you can suffer the consequences.”

My jaw drops. “What consequences?”

Aiden chugs his glass of orange juice and gets to his feet. “I can hurt you as easily as I can make you feel good, Sara. Don’t make me have to. I don’t like the idea of hurting what I love.”

I swallow hard, my eyes dropping to my hands. I don’t have anything to say, and the feeling of Aiden’s lips against the top of my head causes me to stiffen. He then slips away, leaving me sitting there.

“Oh wait,” Aiden stops, turning back to meet my gaze. “If you try to leave, the alarms will sound, and you better hope my men get to you before I do.” He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes, and I only stare at him, unable to say anything at all. Prior to his reminding me I’m being held prisoner, I almost could’ve convinced myself that I still loved him, but now?

I don’t know if I even like the new Aiden.

Chapter Twenty-Two

AIDEN

Itake a deep breath as I climb into the driver’s seat of one of my burner cars. I have to put eyes on the Walker household. I have to have something to tell Sara. In truth, I haven’t gone back there, only allowing a couple of my men to do a drive-by. However, it’s easy to see that Sara isn’t going to give up until she knows they’re safe.

Fuck. I turn the engine over, listening as the knocking of the motor grows more pronounced. It’s definitely time to use it and lose it, and that’s going to happen today. I’ve already put in the call for extra men, and I leave Carlos to deal with figuring out who. I trust him to make the best decision. All my men have been vetted anyway.

Not that I trust them completely, though. Carlos has a strict order to keep them out of sight of Sara—and Sara out of their sight. I floor the gas and head back toward the suburbs, to the place I hate. One day, when it all settles down after Ron’s death, I’ll go back and take care of Will. But raising suspicions right now isn’t a good option. Not with Sara having disappeared as well.

I make the grueling journey to the house, deciding to drive right up instead of playing sneaky stalker. I don’t particularly want Will to see me, but at this time of the morning, he should already be at the convenience store and restaurant. This leaves the girls and Sara’s mom.

Sara’s mom.

That’s what I’ve always called her. Before I ever reached the point of looking at the woman as my own maternal figure, she had morphed into something I didn’t want to claim. Not to mention, she had married someone that I viewed as evil.

And still do.